ABSTRACT
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) agrees that the welfare provision is a compromise; that 'a concern for the welfare of the child to be born as a result of the treatment should be one, but not the paramount, consideration to be taken into account before treatment is offered'. One of the factors required by law to be taken into account in the welfare judgement is the child's need for a father. So what would be the fears for children in families which lack a father? These can probably be split into two major parts: first are the possible social considerations, and second, where the single woman is lesbian, possible influences on sexual and psychological developments. Indeed the report from the House of Commons Select Committee on Science and Technology agrees that the welfare provision is 'more akin to a "fitness for parenting" requirement which was historically used to prevent certain "undesirable" groups from reproducing and is widely rejected'.
